Scales of War

Well, here we are again, trying to save some stupid morons who can’t save themselves. I’ve got to stop listening to the damned blue freak. But she did make a good point this time, it is definitely better than a battlefield.

The place was already over run when we arrived. We should have been more stealthy but we knocked on the door instead. It was Orcs again. Though I did get to do some climbing and I finally got to see above the damned rock fellow.

I am hoping for some more loot down here, but unfortunately the Monks had taken a vow of poverty, it looks like.

With all this death and most of my past experiences, with this group and that thieves guild out of Neverwinter, I have decided it is better to worship the Raven Queen instead of nothing because it seems from all my travels that death is the only constant.

It seems my past hasn’t followed me to this land. Maybe I should let the diva in on why I do what I do. I think out of this party, she would be the one that understands. They seem to cover my ass alot. Its the least I could do.

The orcs are proving to be less of a challenge than I had thought they would be…or maybe our party is better than I originally assumed it to be. We have accomplished all of our goals and assignments with relative ease and little serious injury. I’m sure there are more diabolical creatures readied to cross our path at any moment…best to keep a wary eye. The orc threat is very real, that much is certain, however if we continue to beat them back the way we have been, this war might be over before it starts.

ok…me got sick in the head or somethin…cause me got controlled by someone else again…me thinks it was the Pretty Lady…and me was not happy…me saw orcs at the bottom of some stairs…and they didn’t let me go get them!!....that made me sad…all me want to do is beat up on orcs when me sees them…but they didn’t let me…me no let that happen again…me dunno what else happened…it was all fuzzy like when me has too much to drink…oh well maybe next time me get to beat up on orcs more…

The Council of Elders held a meeting for the various forces who gathered to help defend against the orc horde. During this meeting, the adventuring party (now referred to as The Misfits, until someone changes that) is sent to the Monastery of the Sundered Chain to warn and evacuate the inhabitants. Upon knocking on the outer doors, however, the party becomes aware that orcs have taken the monastery.

The Misfits kill the orc camped out in the courtyard, then proceed into the Great Hall of Moradin. Inside they find a gruesome sight. Dead dwarves and orcs litter the hall. An orc witch doctor is desecrating the altar in the center of the room, and two orc stand on the balconies wielding “impossibly large” crossbows. The ranger, thorn, immediately draws his bow down on the witch doctor and kills him with two well placed arrows. The rest of the team starts to attack the other two orcs, but then 5 more orcs emerge from a hidden door beneath the altar. The misfits slay every one with brutal efficiency.

They find a hidden stairwell beneath the altar. Heading down, they find more orcs, as well as orogs, searching though the sleeping quarters of the dwarves. Dead bodies are everywhere. The orcs spot them and attack. Their sheer numbers allow the fight to last more than a few seconds. Again the Misfits are deadly.

The end of the room opens to a huge cavern. Stairs lead down, over a hundred feet, to the cavern floor. A group orcs are climbing the stair find themselves at the mercy the parties ranged attacks. While the ranged attackers slay several orcs, Brandis shows a level of restraint no one knew he had. He stands and waits for the orcs to reach the top of the stairs, but only gets to swing his axe once.

We had our first encounter with the Orcs today. I did not expect to see them so soon, but I guess it confirms everyone’s fears about the mounting Orc threat in the area. It was a small group, easily dispatched. The group is becoming a cohesive unit, utilizing each other’s strengths to gain a tactical advantage in battle. Strategy is becoming more and more prevalent in our small party…but the big dumb rock needs to control his hatred of Orcs from time to time. We now have the local theive’s guild rallying to strike back at us as a result of his impetuous actions toward one of their half-orc members.

We have traveled far to reach this new town. It was strange, though, riding on horses. We are used to walking with nature and not running through it quickly. We must be careful when the large one is on watch. He means well, but is too easily distracted by shiny things and bugs. At least with his bug fascination, we won’t need to worry about him wandering off.

We have met elves. It has been too long since talking with the long lived ones. They were not very talkative, unlike our clan, but they did warn us about orcs. We do not know as much about the larger world, but we don’t think there should be this many elves.

We have reached the big town..city they call it.. We are uncomfortable here. There are no trees and animals, and far too many people. Thorn knows how we feel, he is as uncomfortable as we are.

The end of human…I think they call it greed. Nature provides enough for all, yet there are those who must have more. Thieves they call themselves. Like the little one. She feels she must steal to prove her worth. Her worth is in her actions.

We fought these thieves, and saved man and woman. They were not as grateful as we would think. The large one must learn to control anger towards orcs. It will get him hurt.

Well we did lots of taveling on horsies….that was sort of fun..me bum hurt after riding for a while though…we set up camp a lot…and one night we got attacked…me was on guard but couldn’t stop staring at the pretty bugs…you know…the ones that their bums light up…me don’t think everyone else was happy with me…but me told them before me not smart…so me not worried about it…it was fun though case we got to kill Orcs…me really really hate Orcs…so that was fun…we eventually made it to this new town…nothing much happend though…hopefully that’ll change soon…me ready to kill stuff again…

Travel log day 5:
Ok, brandis is no longer allowed to be on watch without a chaperone. But on the plus side, thanks to Tier, I’ve got a nice warm wolf fur coat.

Travel log day 6:
I had a hard time believing the elves that the orcs were this industrius. But if they are able to take down full sized caravans on this side of the mountains, that doesn’t bode well. I’m beginning to think we will be better served scouting for how the orcs are getting here in numbers than fighting them on the other side of the mountains.

Outlook is a truely dismal place. If I wasn’t worried about an incoming army, I would be seriously tempted to stay here and improve life for these people. A few public sanitation campaigns would go a long way here. As it is I think I’ll have enough on my hands just trying to keep Everan on the straight path. I can’t believe she would think about keeping something that obviously belonged to the shop keeper. And I suppose that we need to track down who ever was threatening that poor man and his wife and prevent them from doing it again. It wouldn’t be right leaving things as they are.

That damned diva is getting in the way again. I work hard to get her some reagents that could help us. Yes, I know that they are pickled ears but even that could be useful. She just turn right around and gave them back to those people. That ungrateful shop owner and his hag of an old wife.

Our journey here from Brindol was mostly uneventful, except for the damned wolves and the orcs. The sad fact was the wolves were more of a challenge than the orcs.

Overlook has a shantytown just like neverwinter. I felt like I was coming home in such a sad way. I wonder if mom is still whoring herself on the street corner like she was when I was a kid. I wonder what she would say if she saw me now. I pissed the diva off though, which in my book is a good thing. We encountered a little girl crying for her daddy who was dead. I sent her to meet her father. Personally, I think I did her a favor. Death is better than what she was destined for. Trust me on that one.

Even though I am still a nobody, I am hoping to get in with one of the local thieves guilds while here in Overlook. But I doubt any of them are going to be interested because of that damned scuffle in the magic shop. We really need to control the idiot of a fighter. He sees anything orcs and he goes nuts. I think I am going to paint his face up as one and then show him a mirror. That would be funny.

I think I need more practice on my thieving skills. I was caught when I was trying to trade out one of the daggers I stole. But I talked my way out of it, hehehe.